How did countries execute criminals in 1895? Surprisingly (or not), a Michigan newspaper published the following statistics that year:
Modes of Execution
Spain – garrote – public (public strangulation)
Brunswick – ax – private
Prussia – sword – private
Ecuador – musket – public
Austria – gallows – public
Portugal – gallows – public
France – guillotine – public
Saxony – guillotine – public
Oldenburg – musket – public
Belgium – guillotine – public
Denmark – guillotine – public
Hanover – guillotine – private
Bavaria – guillotine – private
China – sword or cord – public
Netherlands – gallows – public
Great Britain – gallows – public
Italy – capital punishment abolished
Russia – musket, gallows, or sword – public
United States, other than New York – gallows – mostly private
New York – electric chair – private
Switzerland – sword and guillotine – mostly public
Source: The L’Anse sentinel. (L’Anse, L.S., Mich.), 26 Jan. 1895.
